It is hard not to comment on the current financial crisis in Greece, both the reality as we experience it and some of the portrayals from the media. So we delayed our usual Monday post and chose to provide this commentary instead, for our future guests and for anyone who is interested in our perspective.

Should I be worried about visiting Greece?

Absolutely not, and this is one thing we can say with confidence. Just talk to any foreigner who is in Greece right now and ask them if their experience is anything like what some of the media would like to portray.

Do I need to carry extra cash with me?

Yes please, this is probably the only difference that you will experience. Even though there are no limits for ATM withdrawals with foreign issued cards, the ATMs are slowly running dry of banknotes. We have no idea when and if this is going to change, so let’s better be prudent. And do not worry about your safety carrying cash, Greece remains one of the safest countries in Europe.

Have you had any booking cancellations?

No, at least not yet, even though we are aware of several other businesses that have experienced them. We are a boutique firm offering alternative tourism options and therefore feel that we attract a different calibre of visitors, quite different from the mass tourism / tour operator groups that are more likely to react to news.

How is everyday life in Greece at the moment?

Life is always better for the ‘haves’ and worse for the ‘have-nots’, before the crisis and now, in Greece and overseas. If you stroll around Athens or the marina of Poros, you may wonder where the crisis is: people are sitting in cafes, chatting, cracking political jokes. It feels like the first time I landed in South Africa: I could not see any poverty or any racial tensions; it takes time to get deeper, but for the average tourist this will not happen and everyday life will seem schizophrenically different from the commonly held expectations.

What is everyday life in Poros Island and the Live-Bio region

The countryside is always a lot calmer than the big cities. In all honesty, unless we listen to the news, it is hard to notice anything different in our everyday life: we watch the sailing boats sail in front of our balcony, the superyachts mooring at the Poros marina and people carrying on with their daily routines. I will repeat the word schizophrenic here, even though I think I have realised the cause for the schizophrenia: what would people do in the current situation, lock themselves up in a room and wait? A coffee next to the sea helps with sanity.

What do your guests say?

Our guests are very mindful of the challenges faced by the Greek people but at the same time realise that life carries on, and so does their vacation. The colour of the sea and the blue of the sky are not affected by the crisis. And some of them have chosen to convey their first hand experiences to their country’s press, with an article already published in the Danish press and another one underway in Canada.

Why is the Media portraying Greece differently than what you are trying to convince us?

The Media likes simple stories and drama: good/bad, pain/happiness. The current situation is a lot more complicated and would not make good news if properly explained. Do you remember the pirate attacks at the horn of Africa? Pirates=bad, therefore that was an easy story. A bit of the same here, you get what I mean…

Are the Greeks really that reckless and stupid?

Let’s first clarify something: it is inappropriate to talk about 11 million Greek citizens as a single ‘thing’. Yes, there are Greek people who evade taxes or who claim unjustified state benefits, but there are also a lot of hard working and honest people, just like in any country. Please do not equate the Greek governments to the Greek people, as some of the comments read in the press are inaccurate, offensive, and at times outright racist: just replace the word ‘Greeks’ with the word ‘Jews’ or ‘Blacks’ and consider if such comments would ever be accepted.

So why should I choose Greece over any other destination at this moment in time?

For the same reasons that you always would. All countries in the world are gorgeous and have amazing things to offer. Greece has its own offering, the nature, the culture, the people, the sea. If Greece were your original destination we suggest that you proceed as you would have: come and experience first-hand the situation and be the ambassadors to your country.

Anything else I should know?

Well, as we said, it is hard to explain things in black and white. There are a million things we could discuss, so if you are in the mood let’s discuss them on our Live-Bio balcony. It would be our pleasure to have you here, provide you with our perspective (biased of course by our background, our studies and our overseas living) and listen to yours’.